Growing out in China?

[jlpearce]

Hey, everyone! I have a question about nutrition and hair. I moved to China from the U.S. in August, and I've noticed that my hair seems much thinner than it used to. I had long hair, then got a pixie in 2006, started growing out again in 2008, now about APL. So it's been a little while since I had longish hair, but I swear it just feels so thin now! I looked though the archives and realized that my diet may be contributing -- I eat very little bread or wheat now (SO MUCH RICE, though. I'm tired of rice!), very little dairy in general (no milk, yogurt rarely, cheese really rarely), etc. I'm also eating a lot more tofu than I used to, but that may be good? I'm not sure.

Anyway, I'm teaching English and living in the school, which provides me all my meals, so I can't really change that. Anyone know anything about supplements I can get here in China to help regain some thickness? I'm in an area with very few westerners, but I can get to Nanjing fairly easily, and there are expat grocery stores that might have vitamins, but if you know about actual Chinese things that would be more useful. (I speak basically no Chinese, so I can't really ask the people here.)

It's weird, because the average Chinese women here seems to have such beautiful thick hair. I'm teaching 5-year-olds, and it seems like most of the little girls have hair that's twice as thick as mine! Is it just the change of diet in my case? It's depressing!

Thanks for the help! You ladies (and gentlemen) are an inspiration!

[Copasetic]

It sounds like your diet there is quite a bit healthier than the average North American diet. Are you sure it isn't stress?

[jlpearce]

Hm, I didn't think about that. I'm much better now, but when I first got here I was stressed and a depressive mess -- I lost about 15 lbs in a month. Will it rebound from that, do you think? How long will it take?

[jojo]

sounds thyroid related to me

[Night_Kitten]

Stress and fast weight loss can definitely affect hair, but the good news is that it's temporary and your hair will get back to itself after the stress is over :D
As for how long will it take I don't know, I guess it depends on how badly stressed you were... It might take a while for the hair to thicken up all the way to it's previous thickness but don't despair, I'm sure you'll start seing improvement soon :)

[milagro]

Stress from the big move and adaptation to new conditions could cause shedding but is it actually thinner? If it is you must notice the scalp skin more visible or partings in your hair wider than before. You could not overlook big shedding either. So maybe there's no reason to worry. Your hair might just get more sleek from some products - the illusion of thinner. And Asians have beautiful hair indeed, are you sure it's not just the comparison? :D :flower:
I think multi vitamins or some common supplements won't hurt. I can't imagine how I would live without milk and such...

[LawyerGirl]

Could it be pollution? I spent a summer studying abroad in China and the air is very poor quality.

[jlpearce]

No, I'm not noticing my part getting wider or anything, it's more that my ponytail is super skinny.

[Akiko]

I think stress and such drastic change of environment causes lost of shedding. When I moved from Japan to the US, I lost some weight and got severely depressed, too.

I have heard of Chinese herbs, "Shou Wu Pian (首鳥片)" or "He Shou Wu (何首鳥)" for hair loss. It's also called "Fo-ti." In the US, it's sold under the name "Shen Min."

Personally I have not used it. But it might be something you might check and see if it's for you.

However, I think you will gradually get used to the new environment and start gaining weight. Then your hair will come back. I don't know how fast. Some do better than others. I have never been to China. But I always wanted to. Someday, I will visit! Hope you feel less stressed soon and enjoy Chinese culture.

[milagro]

No, I'm not noticing my part getting wider or anything, it's more that my ponytail is super skinny.

Then it must have not been shedding, so you have all your hair safe on your head but maybe of somewhat changed quality. That's good news :)
I would still advise you check your products if you've used new ones, and routine. If that's the same, check your nutrition, I believe there are sites on Internet where you can monitor daily intake of nutrients, vitamins/minerals and energy. This way you may figure out what's lacking. HTH

[Cailie]

Do you eat fish and/or is there any accessible ?

good luck !


(& I agree with stress mentionned above)

[sibiryachka]

The thing that popped into my mind is calcium. You mention you're consuming very little dairy now - is that a big change from your previous habits? Maybe a calcium supplement, if you're not getting enough from other dietary sources.

[jlpearce]

I think stress and such drastic change of environment causes lost of shedding. When I moved from Japan to the US, I lost some weight and got severely depressed, too.

I have heard of Chinese herbs, "Shou Wu Pian (首鳥片)" or "He Shou Wu (何首鳥)" for hair loss. It's also called "Fo-ti." In the US, it's sold under the name "Shen Min."

Personally I have not used it. But it might be something you might check and see if it's for you.

However, I think you will gradually get used to the new environment and start gaining weight. Then your hair will come back. I don't know how fast. Some do better than others. I have never been to China. But I always wanted to. Someday, I will visit! Hope you feel less stressed soon and enjoy Chinese culture.
Akiko -- Thanks!! I'll go to Nanjing this weekend and see if I can find those. Do you know if I should look for them in pill form, or are they actual herbs, like I'd use to make tea?

I am enjoying China now! I left the U.S. on kind of a whim, and left a boy behind. On top of that I don't actually speak any Chinese, so I've been very lonely. It's gotten a lot better since then, though. :)

[jlpearce]

Do you eat fish and/or is there any accessible ?

good luck !


(& I agree with stress mentionned above)
Cailie -- Under ordinary circumstances, I love fish, and there's tons available here, but I have issues with fish bones and so I'm kind of scared to eat it here. When we have fish it's usually served whole. The other teachers have mastered the art of eating around the tiny bones, but I choked on a fish bone as a kid so I'm too paranoid, and usually end up avoiding the fish entirely. Perhaps I'll add fish oil to the vitamins I'll be looking for this weekend. :)

[jlpearce]

The thing that popped into my mind is calcium. You mention you're consuming very little dairy now - is that a big change from your previous habits? Maybe a calcium supplement, if you're not getting enough from other dietary sources.
sibiryachka -- the biggest difference is the lack of cheese. I've always hated milk, and since I don't usually eat breakfast things like yogurt tend to fall by the wayside, but I love pretty much all cheese. I read somewhere that most Chinese people are lactose intolerant, and so it's really hard to find cheese or butter in the smaller grocery stores that are common out where I am.

[Akiko]

Akiko -- Thanks!! I'll go to Nanjing this weekend and see if I can find those. Do you know if I should look for them in pill form, or are they actual herbs, like I'd use to make tea?

I am enjoying China now! I left the U.S. on kind of a whim, and left a boy behind. On top of that I don't actually speak any Chinese, so I've been very lonely. It's gotten a lot better since then, though. :)

I think it comes in pill form which is obviously easier to take.

Glad to hear you are better. I was very lonely in the US, too. Everything was, and still is to some degree, foreign. But you will meet great people and learn a different culture. Not many people get to experience like yours.

[LissaJane]

Could be the water? I'm an expatriate in Dubai and countless women (and men, come to think of it) complain about hairloss out here, myself included-- whenever I go on holiday either back home or elsewhere my hair seems to almost immediately recover and the hairloss is greatly reduced... as soon as I come back, however, it goes right on back to falling out. There's been lots of talk about it and articles and people are blaming it on the tap water (which no one here [that I know of] drinks). I'm so grateful to be moving soon.

Although you did say that the Chinese women have thick hair, so thinking back on it that's probably not it.... Or it is and they're just more adapted to the different kind of water? I've heard good things about using bottled water when washing and rinsing your hair.
Again, could not be the problem, thus not the solution... just figured I'd throw it out there as it's a common complaint among the expats out here in the middle east.

[LawyerGirl]

Also, when I was in China someone told me that they rinsed their hair with the water they used to rinse rice because it made their hair healthier. I always thought it was an old wives' tale but I'll pass it along.